The Ponderosa Halloween Party
by CocoRocks
Summary: A sequel to the Mask of Zorro. Ben throws a Halloween party on the Ponderosa and his guests have some interesting costumes. Meanwhile Laura believes her husband has gone crazy and runs to find help.


**A sequel to the Mask of Zorro. Ben throws a Halloween party on the Ponderosa and his guests have some interesting costumes. Meanwhile Laura believes her husband has gone crazy and runs to find help. **

**I tried to make the costume ideas historically accurate as possible but forgive me if I failed.**

The Ponderosa Halloween Party

Ben Cartwright descended down the stairs and into the living room. Once he reached the landing he checked his appearance in the mirror. He had to admit he may have gone a little overboard when it came to his costume. Afterall did he really need the white wig when his hair was already white but then he remembered it was the same hairstyle that George Washington had worn so he dismissed the complaints.

He glanced around the living room and saw that Hop Sing had managed to get all the furniture out of the way and got the food and drinks set out. While he was in his thoughts his youngest son Joe trudged down the stairs. He was wearing his regular clothes but over them he was wearing a chemise with cotton pasted on. On his head there was wire covered with black calico. It gave an illusion that it was ears.

"Pa do I really have to wear this. It makes me look like a sissy. No girl is going to want to dance with me." Joe complained as he slumped into a nearby chair and put his feet on the table.

"Joseph first of all get your feet off the table. Second of all, yes you have to wear it. Thirdly you've never had trouble getting a girl before. Lastly where are your brothers?" Ben asked.

"Upstairs in their rooms getting dressed slowly." Joe commented.

"Adam! Hoss! Get down here now. Our guests will be here shortly." Ben called up.

A short time later both Adam and Hoss descended the stairs. Like Joe they were wearing the same thing and neither of them had a happy look on their faces.

"Alright you two why the long faces?" Ben asked gazing at his two older sons.

"Aw Pa I look downright silly in this." Hoss complained.

"Me too. I told you I had aspirations to dress up as Shakespeare." Adam commented.

"I know you did but Will told me that Peggy wanted to be Little Bo Peep and she needed sheep. I obliged and told Will that you three would make that little girl happy and dress up as sheep. Now you don't wanna break that girl's heart do you?" Ben asked

"No sir." all three replied.

"Good now guest's will be arriving soon. So put some happy smiles on your faces." Ben told his sons.

All three sons nodded and worked on the finishing touches for the party. A few minutes later Candy the Ponderosa foreman walked in. He was wearing a brown shirt with matching pants. Moccasins, and a coonskin cap.

"Hey Candy who are you supposed to be?" Joe asked.

"Davy Crockett of course. A couple days I ago I shot that raccoon that was going into henhouse and I thought using the pelt would make a great idea for my halloween costume." Candy explained.

"I see. Hey there's still time before the other guests arrive any chance you'd like to trade costumes. I think you would make a dashing sheep." Joe tried to persuade the man.

"Joseph there will be no switching costumes." Ben berated.

"Yes sir" Joe muttered.

A short while later there was a knock on the door. Ben went to answer it. On the other side was Hank and Abigail Myers. Hank was wearing red jacket with a blue sash and had a mustache pasted above his late. Abigail was wearing a crown atop her hair and lovely light blue gown.

"Frank and Abigail how nice of you to arrive. So who are two supposed to be." Adam asked as he joined his father at the door.

"We thank you for inviting us." I'm Queen Victoria and Hank here is the deceased Prince Albert." Abigail explained.

"See I told you Abigail and Hank would be doing something like this. She's always going after those romantic figures." Joe whispered to Hoss.

A short time later more guests started arriving at the Ponderosa. Jeff and Rick Bonner showed up dressed up as Tweedledee and Tweedledum from Alice in Wonderland. Doc Martin showed up as Dr. Frankenstein and Sheriff Coffee showed up as Dr. Frankenstein's monster. Much to Ben's dismay Clementine Hawkins showed up as Martha Washington. Peggy and Will were the last to alright. Ben noted that Laura was not with them.

"Will where's Laura is she ill?" Ben asked.

"To be honest I don't know where she is. When I came down in my costume she yelled at me for having immoral desires and ran out of the house. I don't have a clue what I did wrong?" Will explained.

"Oh well, the important thing is that you and Peggy are here. Stop your worrying and have a good time." Ben told him slapping his nephew on the back playfully.

The party went off without a hitch. Although after an hour Ben was trying to escape from the constant attention of the Widow Hawkins. So while she was occupied he slipped out the front door and sat down on the front porch and started smoking his pipe.

About one-hundred yards down the rode from the Ponderosa, Laura was running down the road. After she had shouted at Will she had gone on a long walk. After her walk she went back to the house to have a discussion with Will. However, when she got back both Will and Peggy were gone. That man had kidnapped her little girl. She then decided she would go to the one place that he would likely be found and that was the Ponderosa.

Laura soon reached the Ponderosa and she breathed a sigh of relief. Ben Cartwright was outside smoking his pipe. He would be able to help her.

"BEN!" Laura shouted as she ran towards him.

"Laura how nice of you to show up here." Ben told her as she approached him.

"Ben I have a problem. Will has kidnapped Peggy." Laura cried.

"Kidnapped? What on earth are you talking about? Both him and Peggy are inside the house." Ben explained.

Ben was going to explain the party but before he could do so Laura rushed right past him and went through the front door. When she rushed in she saw various people dressed in costumes. She saw Will in his costume talking to Hoss who was wearing a chemise with cotton all over it.

"WILL EXPLAIN THE MEANING OF THIS!" Laura shouted.

"Hey honey don't you remember tonight was the night of Ben's halloween party." Will explained.

Laura's eyes widened and thoughts raced through her head. She suddenly remembered that today was October thirty-first which meant it was halloween. How could she have been so blind to forget the date. She was so overwhelmed with her thoughts that she fainted and fell to the floor. Will was by her side in a moment and lifted her up to put her on the sette.

"Seeing that someone managed to fall the floor you can say it's a real Ponderosa Party now." Joe joked as he took a drink of his punch.


End file.
